Seal-lock



(ModeL) J. 0. WANDS.

SEALLO0K. No. 418,596. Patented Dec; 31, 1889,.

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UN TED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

J OllN CLARK WANDS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SEAL-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,596, dated December 31, 1889.

Application filed July 12, 1889. Serial No. 317,281. (ModelJ To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, JOHN CLARK WANDS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seal-Locks for Oar-Doors; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,snch as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a front view of my improved seal-lock. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the cover in section and the glass plate or seal removed, exposing the interior. 'Fig. 3 is an inverted horizontal section taken just inside the cover, and Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of a modification This invention relates to certain improvements in seal-locks for express and treasury boxes, &c.; and it consists in the novel combination of parts and their construction, as will more fully appear from the following description and accompanying illustrations.

In the organization of my invention I employ a closure or receptacle A, which is secured by interior bolts 2 to the car-door. The closure or receptacle A is provided in its front, which is open, as shown, with vertical end slots or grooves a a, which may be formed by casting upon the inner sides of the ends a short distance inward from the forward edges vertical flanges. a and upon the outer extreme forward edges ure additional vertical flanges a At the lower forward edge of the closure or receptacle the bottom thereof is stepped or reduced, as at a forming a vertical extension or continuation of the grooves a a. The grooves or slots a a are designed to receive the seal B, its ends entering the same and its lower edge resting upon the horizontal ledge of the step a, consequently its lower rear surface resting against the vertical portion or riser of the step. Brazed or cast with the upper edges of the ends of the receptacle or closure is a slightly forwardly and downwardly inclined inner fixed covering-plate O, the forward edge of which, however, terminates in the plane of the inner fianges'a. In this plate or cover of the ends of the clos- O, near the ends of the closure A, are openings b b, and secured to the under side of said plate is a second plate 0, having at its ends lugs c c. The lugs cstand, as does also the aligning portion of their plate, slightly away from the plate 0, and have their forward edges about in alignment with the rear edges of the openings 12 b. The lugs 0 stand at right angles to the lugs o a short distance away from the openings 1).

D is a'bail-like spring-fastening, its rear portion being arranged between the plates 0 C and. extending over the lugs a, while its end portions stand in the plane of the openings b b. The extreme forward portions of the bail or fastening D terminate in pendants d cl, to provide means whereby the same may be manipulated by the application of a finger and thumb thereto.

E is the cover proper, which is hinged to the receptacle or closure A, its upper rear portion having at its ends pintles engaging ears on the upper rear portion of the receptacle or closure at its ends. The cover E is provided with a flange 6, extending around its forward edge and some distance alongits ends inward and fitting down around the upper edges of the closure or receptacleA. Up on the under side of the cover E are beveled catch-lugs f f, which enter the openings b of the inner covering-plate Oand automatically engage the fastening or bail D as a means to secure the cover in a locked or fastened position.

F is adouble or looped wire passed through an eye g, fastened to the car-body and extending across the opening side of the door, and having its arms passing through apertures or perforations h h in one end of the closure or receptacle A, and which arms are firmly twisted or fastenedtogether inside of the receptacle or closure. The seal, it will be ob-- served, is composed of a plate B, of some fragile material-as, for instance, glass-and a strip of paper B, preferably such as that used in newspaper-printing, or like thin paper, applied by glue or otherwise to the plate, and which bears the requisite data or memoranda, as the place and date where and by whom sealed. The purpose of the aforesaid construction of seal is to insure the certainty of the destruction or tearing of the menioranda or data in breaking the seal to prevent the surreptitious entrance of the car without detecting that fact.

It will be remarked that my invention is adapted for use in connection with the form of seal now in use and having applied to it a wire and a leaden billet.

It will be further observed that the various details of construction maybe changed without departing from the spirit of my invention, it being understood that I restrict myself only to the use of a closure which contains a seal and one end of the wire or connecting medium between car and its door, as

also to a particular form of seal, such as herein shown and described.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 I employ a bail form of fastening D in lieu of the one above described, which fastening D has pendent armspivoted to the inside of the closure at its ends, while its upper horizontal portion, which engages the catch-lugs f, has a central loop -spring D the catch-lugs f, however, facing rearward. The cover E, when closed, automatically engages the catchlugs f with said fastening D, locking the cover; but in opening the closure the fastening is pressed inward by applying pressure to the loop D to effect the disengagement of the catch-lugs and the fastening, the cover then being free to be raised.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The combination, with a car and its door and a closure secured by a seal, of a wire or connecting medium between said car and door, the ends of which are adapted to be passed through openings in the wall of said closure and secured together, substantially as set forth.

2. The car'door seal-lock comprising the closure having a fixed covering-plate interior of the cover proper and a second inner plate secured to said fixed covering-plate and havin g at its ends right-angularly arranged lugs, a spring bail or fastening interposed between the two inner plates and having pendent terminals, said cover proper having catchlugs entering openings in the inner coveringplate and engaging said fastening or bail, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the connecting-wire between the car and its door, the closure receiving through its body or wall said wire, the ends of the latter being tied together on the inside of the closure, said closure also having the seal-seat, consisting of vertical end grooves at the front of the closure, the hinged cover closing the opening of said seat, the locking device for said cover within the closure, comprising catch-lugs on the inside of said cover and the spring-bail fastening engaging said lugs as the cover is closed,and the fragile seal and the attached memorand um-slips, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN CLARK \VANDS.

Witnesses:

JERRY MARTIN, W. S. BARTLEY. 

